Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko,
Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC. This is used without
permission.

This disclaimer also applies to several intellectual properties
referred to in the text. Please be guided accordingly.

1943:

He was a tall man with a mask-like face. His hawkish profile was
evident as he surveyed the entire room. Military uniforms dominated
the room, though some were dressed like him; three-piece suits that
bespoke power and influence.

"Good evening, gentlemen… and lady." The last part
was addressed to a woman who looked to be out of place. Her coiffed
short hair was darkish in color, though it seemed to change its
shade when she shifted her position.

"You must be wondering why I called this meeting. We are here
because I have received a very disturbing report from several OSS
agents operating in enemy territory. Mr. Marquette, would you please
turn off the lights?"

The room was plunged into darkness, then with a click a black and
white picture was thrown onto a white screen.

"Several months ago the DKM Ahnenerbe unearthed what
be one of the most important archeological finds in modern history…
One that could change the course of the war."

On the screen was a picture of a room filled with incomprehensible
gadgets. The walls were filled with drawings. A large crescent moon
was depicted on the far wall.

"This, gentlemen, is a weapons cache from one of the several
advanced civilizations from before recorded history. Everyone here
is acquainted with our government's previous encounters with artifacts
from these ancient times, and I believe you all know what this usually
means. Gentlemen, I'm sorry to say it, but this is much worse than
that."

A click, and a picture of a long cylindrical artifact was shown.
Runes were etched into the strange metal, and both ends were topped
by large crystal protrusions.

"Everyone, this is an Azathoth device. For those who recognize
the name but do not recognize its significance, Azathoth is more
than a children's story character by Mr. Lovecraft. It is an amorphous
force that is near catastrophic, if ever focused and released in
the manner that these devices do. The last time an Azathoth device
was detonated was in 1908, at Tunguska. I believe everyone here
knows where that is and what happened there. The Ahnenerbe
found five such devices."

A commotion in the dark, quickly silenced.

"Gentlemen, normally I would not be concerned. The Nazis could
not totally understand the significance of the finds, except for
one man…"

Another click, and a picture of an evil-looking, bespectacled man.
Heavy-set with white hair pulled back, and dressed in a lab coat,
he looked like the sort of evil mad scientist often seen in the
movies.

"People, meet Herr Doktor Keele Lorenz. At the risk of sounding
overdramatic, this man is a genius of evil. This man has both the
knowledge and the experience to be able to utilize these devices
to their full potential. He also happens to be a Paranormal rating
10 on the Silence-Carnacki meter."

A click and another picture flashed to the screen. A tall, blond,
and well-muscled man was shown in a black and silver SS uniform.
He was both an impressive and a daunting sight.

"He is assisted and protected by SS Hauptscharführer
Hans Schwarzkirk. I believe that the people in this room are more
familiar with his moniker, 'Golden Adonis'. P-rating 3, but a certified
genius and a scientifically-trained 'superman', he can be expected
to counter any of the normal sabotage and infiltration operations
that we would use for this particular situation."

Another click and a picture of what looks like a facility carved
into the mountainside.

"Schloss Drachenrauche, a castle literally carved out of the
mountainside. Proof from aerial bombardment and guarded by some
of the best soldiers the Reich can offer, not to mention some individuals
who have rather 'special' abilities, with P-ratings four and five."

Silence reigned before a question was put forth from the darkness.

"Won't we be able to use our own 'special' individuals?"

"Almost everyone is tapped out. Our hands are full with Japan's
Kasumi Gundan and Unit 732, along with Germany's SS-Schwarzritter.
Our home agents are preoccupied with fifth columnists and infiltrators,
plus the South American states. But I do have a plan…"

"What is it, Cranston? We already know the situation's bad.
What are you going to do about it?"

The man known as Cranston walked into the projector's field of
light. His hawk-like profile was even more emphasized.

"Our resources maybe tapped out, but our allies' are not.
A group consisting of several individuals from Allied countries
chosen for their 'special' attributes and skills to be able to infiltrate
into Drachenrauche."

"And who would these 'individuals' be"

Cranston smiled before he moved out of the line of sight, melding
into the shadows. A click and a picture of six men was shown. The
most imposing figure, and the photo's seeming centerpiece was a
mountain of a man, but so well proportioned that you didn't notice
his measurements unless you compared him to the others in the picture.
Square-jawed and handsome, with his light hair pulled back, he seemed
to be an iron giant.

"Gentlemen, meet Doctor Alexei Rakhmetov, better known in
Russia as the Man of Steel. Scientifically trained in the same way
as Herr Schwarzkirk, they are equals in physical and mental strength.
A most popular person among the Russians, which is the only reason
why Stalin hasn't sent him and his five associates to the Gulag.
He is currently helping in the defense of his country, but I think
we can 'convince' Stalin to let him go."

"I've heard of him", a voice said in the dark. "He's
a Communist to the bone—"

"Which is why Stalin doesn't like him. Rakhmetov is more Marxist
than Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky put together. But we are not here
to look at a person's politics, General. We are here to look at
what they can do. And I assure you, Doctor Rakhmetov is more of
a friend to us than you think."

"Now, let me continue."

"The Doctor is always accompanied by his five associates,
friends of his from the Revolution and the Great War. Vladimir 'The
Monk' Markov, a chemical genius and a former monk. He is responsible
for most of Stalin's secret chemical warfare arsenal. Ivan 'Vodka'
Kerensky, the Doctor's political defender and one of the best tacticians
and strategists the Russians have. He would at least be a Brigadier
General if not for his association with the Doctor. Vassili 'Churki'
Churkin, engineer extraordinaire, the man responsible for most of
Russia's Western fortifications. Andrei 'The Terrible' Ivanova,
a skilled archeologist and linguist, on par with our own Professor
Jones. And finally, Nikolai 'Crash' Krassnov, tank commander and
electronic genius. These men alone would stand a very good chance
of taking out Drachenrauche."

"But since we want one hundred percent success, and the fact
that some individuals would balk at asking the Russians to handle
the thing, the other members of the team will come from France,
England and the United States."

A click, and then a dapper young man was shown on the screen.

"From France, or rather from the French, we have Arsene Lupin
II. I believe most everyone in this room is familiar with his father.
I assure that the son is twice as skilled and a lot less irritating
than he is. That alone would qualify him for this mission."

"The English will contribute two individuals. The Spectre
is a P-rating 8 that operates in the general vicinity of London,
doing what most of our own 'mystery men' do. His 'special' abilities
and talents will be useful during the mission. We don't have an
extant photo since there never has been a successful photograph
of him. But our next mission member does."

A click, and a tall, lithe young man was shown in British military
uniform.

"Colonel Thomas Cecil Clayton of the British Special Operations.
He's quite a success in the African sector, and his family has a
reputation for men who have uncanny skills. His grandfather is the
current Lord Greystoke, and you all know what that man did during
the war. Thomas has inherited quite a few skills, and has a few
of his own that would be quite useful for the mission."

"Finally, for our contingent—"

"Er, Cranston, I thought our operatives are tapped out?"

"I said most, General. There are several people we can utilize,
like Mr. Richard Wentworth."

A click, and a picture of the aforementioned was shown.

"Mr. Wentworth is better known to the world as 'The Spider'.
You may have noticed that it seems that there has been no report
of that particular vigilante in recent months. That is because Mr.
Wentworth was contracted by the OSS to kill Adolf Hitler."

"Unfortunately, Hitler once again displayed that damned luck
of his and escaped unscathed from what should have been sure death.
Wentworth was injured severely, but managed to escape. He is currently
coordinating French Resistance in Southern France. We can pick him
up on the way."

"The last two members will be my old friend, Miss Margo Lane,
and the individual known as 'The Shadow'. Margo's qualifications
are the simple facts that she has knowledge of the area and her
P-10 rating, making her one of the more frightening individuals
on this planet."

"The Shadow, though difficult to contact, is simply one of
the best we've got. I think most of us agree on that."

"If authorized, the mission will be ready to go in a month."

Silence reigned after the last statement as the men in the room
considered the situation. A calm, yet powerful voice voiced the
question on everyone's minds.

"Is there no other option?"

"No."

"Then I think I can speak for all of us here. You get that
team ready, Mr. Cranston. I, for one, don't want to have what happened
at Tunguska happen to one of our cities. You get the equipment,
then you get the people. I assume you already have a plan."

"General, I always have a plan."

Cranston followed that statement with a short laugh that seemed
to echo in the darkness.

Author's notes: This isn't exactly a vignette. This is more like
a prelude.

"Where Eagles Would Never Dare" is supposed to
be one of the big stories in the Dance sequence. As you may have
noticed, we have several big shots in the line-up, from this world's
version of Doc Savage to the Shadow, not to mention Keele Lorenz
from NGE. It has several effects on the history, not to mention
spawning some other stories and vignettes.

I like Doc Savage a lot, but I think him showing up is becoming…
too normal. I wanted to be outré, and while perusing Jess
Nevins' Fantastic Victoriana, I came upon his entry for a
Rakhmetov, whom he described as a 'Revolutionary Doc Savage'. So,
I plundered Doc's coolness and transplanted him into a communist
setting. ^_^

The final fate of Doc Rakhmetov and his fabulous five will be discovered
by Monique Dieudonne, Susan Calvin, and the Man in Gray (points
for which comic book I'm ripping off. ^_^) in an upcoming vignette.

The Spectre is my own personal creation, inspired by Dark Horse
Comics' Ghost.

I owe a lot to P.J. Farmer and the Wold Newtonians for some of
the references and some of the research work that I've dredged up
for the big version of this fic.